Friday June 25th. VIII.

Missed Prayers and recitation in Enfield this morning although I have already taken
a very large number, indeed so many that I should not be surprised at receiving a
private admonition on Tuesday. I spent the morning in writing up my Journal which
I suffered to fall back { 207 } yesterday from a singular feeling of laziness. Indeed, this morning, I scarcely felt
in any humour to do more than yesterday, and consequently did not make up more than
half what I should have done much to my regret.

At ten o’clock, I attended a lecture from Channing on the same subject with the last.
He treated of the difference between judicial and deliberative oratory. He said that
it had been usual in this country for the law to be the school of the statesman, but
when the country increased and wealth accumulated, young men would study their own
profession directly without having any reference to the law, they being influenced
by motives of ambition which now can only be considered as secondary, the acquisition
of money being the first. To this, I reply, it is true, but when this does come to
be the case, the liberties of the country will pass away, for principle is never firm
and when money is in hand it is easy to influence by the most unfair means. The method
of the lawyer must change very much as he must be open to conviction on the other
side of the argument.

What constitutes the difference of effect in two men with equal ability and learning?
Their manner. The regular lawyer may rise and give all his arguments thorough clearness,
he may state every thing in his favour so as to make a hearer only pity the hopeless
task of the other side. But when the opposing person begins, he so throws a covering
over the questions of his opponent, he manages his blandishments in such a way that
it is impossible to resist him. It is a peculiar power with which some men are gifted
which makes the great effect sometimes witnessed in a house of assembly. Thus he took
leave of judicial oratory. I went to the reading room and spent some time, came home
to dinner and attended Declamation, which was exceedingly short today, and no good
speaking. I did not attend Mr. Nuttall’s lecture on Botany this afternoon much to
my regret as I wished to hear him through.

I went immediately to take a ride with Sheafe as he was extremely desirous to go and
I thought it would relieve a little head ach which I suffered under. We went through
Brooklyne on an unknown road which lasted half way to Framingham, then returned, got
caught at a toll house and had to pay and stopped at the Punch Bowl for some Strawberries
which we obtained in fine order, and enjoyed them very much. On our return however
we were caught in a shower which poured down in abundance; the closeness of the chaise
prevented our being wet.

We returned to Prayers after which Otis came to me for a con• { 208 } ference in which I was informed of the result of these Porcellian meetings. The affair
had come to it’s crisis. Chapman, Cunningham and Dwight had received honourable dismissions,
and the rest of the Northern party had asked for them in vain. They are to persist
however in their application; he then announced my election as a member and that of
Lothrop. In such circumstances, my answer was immediate as the Porcellian Club has
no attractions for me, when it would be disgraceful to belong to it. It appears that
there had been a terrible uproar which had ended in this way, that the body of the
Northern party had left the Club. Lothrop also declined. So that now the Southern
party have the rule decisively. The club kept in meeting all the evening and initiated
the Sophomores who were admitted now without difficulty, and thus ends an affair which
has been brewing this last year. Hunt,1 a Northern Sophomore, has joined.

I drilled my section this afternoon, they performed the facings pretty correctly.
In the Evening, my room was full of company. All the Lyceum, Lothrop, Chapman, Otis,
filled my room considerably. It is seldom, I am so much honoured, but there is a good
deal of talk about this late affair. After my company had gone, I took a sort of an
oyster supper with Tudor and Richardson, being the first since I was at home or coming
from there last winter. We then returned home and sat down in the entry where we smoked
and continued our conversation. I have again become pleased with Tudor but nothing
could recover my friendship for the other. Retired without reading my Bible. XI.